Print Article for : Alternative Sources Of Power

[A472]Alternative Sources Of Power

by Tiffany, Tif

What entrepreneurs and businessowners must do with regards to financing is to take the same creative approachthey often take when addressing issues in other parts of their business. Forexample, for a company with minimal funds who needs to launch a marketing andpublic relations campaign, guerilla marketing and public relations tactics canvaunt the company's exposure to and standing among its target audience.Guerilla marketing requires a highly creative approach and a concentratedeffort. Take the same perspective with financing your business and you willreap similar results.

To get creative, focus on WHAT you need the money for, not the actual money.Write down your uses for the funds and the anticipated cost. Example of uses:Employ a general manager - $100,000; Marketing campaign to increase exposure totarget customers - $50,000; Deferred maintenance on office and production area- $150,000; Software - $15,000. Next, begin to brainstorm ways to get what youneed and want. Again, do NOT focus on the money.

Some creative financing options toacquire employees, marketing, software, etc. are as follows:

Co-branding - Combine efforts with a company offering a complementary service or product to reach your target market. You can split the cost or one can do the work and the other pay any external costs involved.
Co-operatives - Pool funds with other business owners. Co-ops are relatively common in agriculture and energy.
Customer deposits or pre-pays ? This is self-explanatory.
Employees (Employee Stock Ownership Plans or ESOPs) - Sell the company or a portion of the company to the employees. Not only will this option help you raise funds. It also engenders strong employee loyalty as employees also become owners.
Equity as payment - Obtain management and other highly skilled personnel at below market rate pay by offering an ownership stake in the company either outright or via stock options or restricted stock.
Economic development grants - These grants are available in urban and rural areas typically through municipalities that have received federal redevelopment funds from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Housing and Urban Development (HUD), or another federal agency.
Licensing - Instead of providing your company's service offering directly to customers, license that offering to a company or other entity that serves your market. Let the licensee(s) expand your market reach and absorb the cost of acquiring new customers.
Self-directed IRAs - Place your money into an IRA that allows you to invest directly in private companies. Companies such as Equity Trust support this level of self-direction.
Swaps or bartering - Barter your product or service with that of another company. Bartering exchanges exist that enable you to move beyond a one-to-one exchange.
Consignment ? Retailers and some wholesalers can acquire inventory ?free?. Instead of paying in advance for inventory and absorbing the cost, agree to offer another party's item for sale in exchange for a significant percentage of the sale. If you do not sell it within a specified period, the item will be returned to the owner.

These are just some ideas to getyour creative juices flowing. There are many other options available, some ofwhich may be specific to your industry or business type.

With increasing demand and use of portable devices by consumers, the need for rechargeable battery power has undergone an upsurge over the years.

Rechargeable Battery

A group of two or more secondary cells when restored to full charge by application of electrical energy is called as a rechargeable battery. These prove cost-effective in comparison to the disposable ones as they do not need constant replacement. All you need to do is keep recharging when the charge is over.

These cheap sources of power have made our life much more convenient. However, they may prove more expensive than the regular disposable ones, but they do provide financial advantage by optimum utilization of the cell.

The rate of recharging batteries has increased substantially over the years, from the times when it used to take as much as 12 to 16 hours, to the charging times of today, an hour or less to recharge it complete.

Now manufacturers are working on new models that promise to increase the life of the batteries. The lifespan depends on many factors such as
* The chemical makeup,
* Total usage,
* Temperature,
* Humidity and other environmental conditions.
Other crucial factors that contribute to increased lifespan are how they are maintained and the number of life cycles or discharge. The life expectancy of each type is different.

A rechargeable battery made of nickel and cadmium (NiCd) and nickel metal hydrides (NiMH) have less storage capacity, approximately half, of alkaline cells.

They tend to discharge faster and perform less efficiently at lower temperatures. However, the life of rechargeable battery depends completely upon its usage and the power of NiCd and NiMH batteries dies out gradually.

Overcharging is yet another factor that affects life and this can result in overheating producing leakage or overflow of charge.

Rechargeable Battery Types

Many portable compact mobile devices and electronic gadgets run on stored power. Devices like laptop, cell phone, digital camera, camcorder and remote control run on different types of rechargeable batteries. These are listed below:

NiMH - Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) is the most preferred choice for cell phones, camcorders, digital cameras, and other personal electronics. Though this looks similar to nickel cadmium, it has double or triple the capacity of a nickel cadmium. It's best to not overcharge a nickel metal hydride.

NiCd - Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) costs less than a NiMH and provides the same voltage levels through the entire life. Hence, they are commonly used in toys and electronic devices.

The most commonly faced problem by nickel-cadmium is the memory effect wherein hard indissoluble cadmium crystals are formed deep within which are an unavoidable product of discharge. This effect can be avoided by allowing it to be completely discharged once every two to three weeks and then fully recharge the same.

LiION - Lithium Ion (LiION) are among the newest advances in technology. They have more capacity and prove expensive in comparison to other types available. The life of a Lithium Ion commences from the date of manufacture rather than the number of times it is charged and discharged.

Rechargeable batteries are an environmentally friendly and economically sound choice. Rechargeable batteries are available in specific shape and sizes like disposable ones, but rechargeable batteries need a specific charger to recharge. The time taken to charge the battery depends on the number of times it can be recharged, and the actual life is dependent on the type of technology used to build the battery.

With digital devices driving sales at retail, rechargeable batteries continue to reign the market.

Article Source :

About Author

Both Tiffany & Anna Woodward are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Tiffany has sinced written about articles on various topics from SEO Search Engine Optimization, Social Security Information and Mergers. Tiffany Wright is the president of Toca Family Business Services and the author of Solving the Financial Equation: Financing Solutions for Small Businesses. Over the last five years, in her current capacity and as a business advisor at the Georgia Institu. Tiffany's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.

Anna Woodward has sinced written about articles on various topics from Online Business, CD Review and Binding Machines. For a wide variety of options, laptop camcorder batteries, and lithium batteries, visit. Anna Woodward's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.